Wind-operated power generator



Nov. 4, 1952 B. M. MATHIAS 5 96 WIND-OPERATED POWER GENERATOR Filed March 22, I949 2 smggTs-srms'r 1 IN VEN TOR. 8E2 TON M. MAT/I145 Wi 'fiimmamm 1 We .4 7-702 NE KS.

151 9 4 1952 a. M. MATHIAS "2,616, 0

- WIND OPERATEP OwER G ENERATOR Filed March 22, 1949 2 srmms-sumw 2 I V INVENTOR. BEETO/V M. MflTb'lfl-S,

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 U N I T ED S TATE S PAT E N T OFF [C E 2,616,506 "wmntoruna'rnn POWI'JBIGENERATOR "Beam Mathias, Monte Vista; C010. Application March 22, 1949, Serial N0. 82,899 'rciaim. (c1. no -40) This invention relatesitowind operated power generators, and more particularly-tea generator for generating electric-power from the energy of the wind.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved, wind-operated, electricpower generator which uses wind-driven rotors of extremely small size in comparison to the amount of wind energy converted into electric-power to avoid the difficulties inherent in theguse of large rotors, and which so magnifies the density and velocity of the air applied to the rotors that the rotors can be operated at high speed and maximum efficiency, which utilizes both the ram and suction effects of the wind to increase the density and velocity of the air at Phe rotor-s, and which is easy to'support, is not subject todamage by winds of high velocity, is substantially selfgoverning, and is simple and durable in construce tion, and economical to manufacture even in extremely large sizes. M M Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration ofthe following description and the appended claim in, conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wind-operated power generator illustrative of theinvention;

Figure 2 is a trans'verse cross section'on the line 2- -2 of Figure 1; a a a Figure 3 'is' a transverse cros's 'section 'on' the line 3--3 of Figure 1; n

Figure 4 is a longitudinal"cross section of a fragmentary portion ofthe generator taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 3;

Figure 5 is a diametrioal crossfsectionof' the generator support structuretaken'onthe line 5+-5 of Figure 1, and shown on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 6 is a transverse cross-section on the line 6-45 of Figure 1. p a '7 With continued referenceto the drawings, the generator includes a structural steel'tower'; generally indicated at 10, which is preferably of large size and of sufficient height to position the windreceiving portion of the generator well above adjacent ground obstructions'tothe steady fiow of the wind. a A circular disc or can 'pla fte 'l l' is secured on the top end of the toweriand is provided near its outer edge with an upstanding','annular flange l2, the outer side of which and the adjacent marginal portion of the plate provide a seat for the lowerracelii of an anti-friction'thrust bearing, generally indicated at' '1 nam le s w 1 the thrust bearing isc arried orrtl'ieilpwefrace by 3 suitable anti-friction elements, such as the balls races 32 and 33.

2 I6, and an upper turntableplate il marginally overlies theupper race of the thrust bearing and is supported by thethrust bearing in spaced, substantially parallel relationship to the lower turntable plate or disc ll. v

A trapezoidal frame structure, generally indicated at l8, has its smaller end IS'resting upon the upper surface of the upper turntable plate ll, and secured to thislplateby suitable means, such as the cap screws 26, the cap screws being ,threadedthroughthe plate ll and into a'reinforcing plate 25 secured to the under surface of "and substantially parallel to its lower end l9,

and a cylindrical socket 26 is secured to the underside of the floor 25 substantially at the center thereof and projects downwardly from the floor. A spindle shaft 21 is secured at its upper end in thesocket' 25 and extends downwardly through the bottom end of the frame it and through'respective centrally-disposed apertures'28 and 29 in theupp'er and lower turntable plates I! and I I. A cylindrical socket 3B is secured to the tower Ill below the turntable plate I l by a spider structure 3| extending across the cross-sectional area of the tower near the plate ll, and the outer race 32 of a tapered, roller bearing is secured in the socket by suitable means, such as welding.

An inner bearing race 33 is secured on the 'taperedlower end of spindle shaft 2! by a nut 34 threaded ontothe screw-threaded, lower end portion of the shaft, and anti-friction bearing rollers 35 are operatively disposed betweenthe By means of the ball thrust bearing, generallyindicated at M, and the tapered roller bearing, generally indicated at 36, secured between the tower and the lower end of the spindle'shaft, the frame I8 is mounted on the upper end of the tower Iii for free rotation about a substantially vertical axis, but is firmlyheld against any other movement relative to the tower.

A windintake c o enerauy indicated at in,

is supportedby the frame 24 and projects out- 3 wardly from one edge of the frame, and a windoutlet spout, generally indicated at 38 is also supported by the frame l8 and projects outwardly from the opposite edge of the latter.

The scoop 31 has a large intake end 39 provided with a funnel structure 40 disposed outwardly of the upper end 22 of the frame and is of elbow shape having a substantially right-angle bend 4| just Within the corresponding corner posts 24 of the frame, so that its portion inwardly of the bend extends downwardly in the frame substantially parallel to the adjacent frame corner post. This scoop 31 tapers gradually from its inlet end 39 to its smaller, outlet end 42 within the frame, so that air driven into the inlet end by the force of the wind will be increased in density and velocity as it passes inwardly and downwardly through the air-intake scoop. The taper of the scoop may be mathematically calculated to provide the desired terminal density and velocity for a given range of wind velocities at the inlet or intake end.

The outlet spout, generally indicated at 38, may be of substantially the same size and shape as the intake scoop 37, and has a large outer end 43 disposed outwardly of the upper end 22 of the frame, and a smaller, inner end 44 disposed within the frame. This spout is also of elbow shape having intermediate its length a substantially right-angular bend 45, so that its portion inwardly of the bend is substantially perpendicular to the adjacent corner post 24 of the frame, and a large vane 45 is attached to the outlet spout 38 near its large outlet end to hold the intake scoop 31 and outlet spout 38 substantially parallel to the direction of the wind.

Near its smaller end the scoop 38 is internally divided into four substantially equal quadrants by a pair of mutually perpendicular partitions 41, and the outlet spout 38 is similarly divided near its outer end by a pair of mutually perpendicular partitions, not illustrated.

A restricted, multi-passage throat, generally indicated at 48, is connected at one end to the smaller end of the scoop 31 and at its opposite end to the smaller end of the spout 38. This throat 48 is U-shaped and gradually changes from a substantially circular cross-sectional shape at each end divided into four quadrant-shaped spaces to four separate cylindrical passages through its intermediate or bight portion, the four throat passages being indicated at 59, 5|, 52 and 53 in Figures 3 and 4.

By providing the intake scoop 3! and the outlet spout 38 as right-angle structures and connecting their smaller inner ends by a U-shaped throat structure, the distance between the large ends of the scoop and the spout is maintained at a reduced value, so that the device is easy to support and is not seriously affected by winds of high velocity and at the same time, a length of air passage through the device sufficient to provide the desired compression and velocity increase of the air at the most efilcient rate, is maintained.

Respective generator drive shafts 54 extend longitudinally through the several throat passages 59, 5|, 52 and 53 and are substantially concentric wth the corresponding cylindrical passages. Respective bearing spider 55 secured in the passages carry respective anti-friction bearings 56 in which the inner ends of the corresponding shafts 54 are journaled, and the shafts are also journaled in respective bearings 5'! secured to the walls of the throat passages at the locations at which the several shafts pass through the walls of the respective passages. Preferably, two of the shafts project outwardly of the throat structure at one side of the latter, and the other two project outwardly of the throat structure at the opposite side of the latter, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 1.

A respective electric generator 58 is drivenly connected to the outer end of each shaft 54, these generators being disposed entirely outside of the throat structure 43, so as not to interfere with the passage of air through the throat passages, and being supported by the frame I8.

A respective radial flow rotor 59 is mounted on each shaft 54 adjacent the corresponding bearing spider 65. These rotors have diameters substantially equal to the inside diameters of the corresponding throat passages, and are designed for high-speed, high-eificiency operation. The size of the rotor 59 is extremely small, but the quantity of power delivered by the rotors is maintained large by the increase in the velocity and density of the air applied to the rotors by reason of the tapered construction of the air-intake scoop 31 and the air-outlet spout 38, and the restriction of the throat passages in the throat structure 48.

The generators 58 are collectively connected at opposite sides to two brushes 60 and BI which are carried by the upper turntable plate I! and electrically insulated from the latter by a, block 62 of insulating material disposed in an aperture in the plate I! and provided with apertures in which the brushes 8E and 6! are seated. These brushes contact respective slip rings 63 and 64 supported upon the lower turntable plate H and insulated therefrom by an annular body 65 of insulating material disposed between the rings and the lower plate. Respective conductors G6 and 61 extend from the rings 63 and 64 through respective apertures 68 and 69 in the lower turntable plate, and are connected to any device to which the generated power is to be supplied.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

A wind-operated mechanism comprising a supporting tower, a frame mounted on said tower for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, a tapered air-intake scoop and a tapered air-outlet spout carried by said frame with said air-outlet spout oppositely directed to said intake scoop, a restricted throat structure connected between the smaller ends of said intake scoop and outlet spout, a shaft extending longitudinally into said throat structure concentrically thereof, and an airdriven rotor mounted on said shaft within said throat, said intake scoop and said outlet spout each having a substantially right-angle bend intermediate its length and said throat structure having a U -shaped formation, said intake scoop and said outlet spout having their portions inwardly of the respective bends convergingly inclined downwardly in said frame, and said U- shaped throat structure being disposed and having its opposite ends in communication with the lower, smaller ends of said scoop and said spout, whereby the distance between the inlet end of said scoop and the outlet end of said spout is materially less than the length of the air passage through said Number Name Date scoop, said spout and said throat structure. 1,025,428 Stanschus May 7, 1912 BERTON M. MATHIAS. 1,345,022 Oliver June 29, 1920 1,496,767 Bonetto June 10, 1924 REFERENCES CITED .5 1,783,669 Oliver Dec. 2, 1930 The following references are of record in the 1,376,595 Beldimano Sept-13,1932 file of t t t; 1,903,307 Gillio- Apr. 4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Number Name Date 10 Number Country Date 264,164 Jackson Sept. 12, 13 2 142,137 Austria June 25, 1935 672,877 Guillott Apr. 23, 190 529,301 France Sept. 6, 1921 695,524 Woodell Mal- 1 1 605,673 Germany Aug. 29, 1935 875,290 Ruggles Dec. 31, 1907 984,599 Pichault Feb. 21, 1911 15 OTHER REFERENCES 1,013,798 Messina Jan. 2, 1912 Electronics, December 1945, pages 98 to 103. 

